


Not Quite Lost

by dahtwitchi



Series: Fix-it for Angst Week and related issues [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Fix-It, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, The Tobirama Tunnel-vision
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-08
Updated: 2018-08-08
Packaged: 2019-06-23 22:57:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15616869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dahtwitchi/pseuds/dahtwitchi
Summary: Few things could stir Madara from his numb existence now that his lover was gone. Some were things that hurt too much to accept, and he would damn well not let them go on if he could help it.Based completely on my writing&art piece Funeral.





	Not Quite Lost

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Funeral](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15474402) by [dahtwitchi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/dahtwitchi/pseuds/dahtwitchi). 



The loud commotion from Hashirama’s office was enough for even Madara to react. There were tones and cadences to the muffled argument that made his chest hurt. Everything reminded him of Tobi, still. It had been only weeks, after all. Weeks since his life had been torn to pieces, left empty and hollow and numb. Weeks since the funeral pyre for the man he had intended to spend his life with had burned through the night.

Making his way through corridors he passed gossipers and far too curious bystanders, all of them treating him with sudden silences he just couldn’t muster energy to care for. Some cast him worried glances. Most seemed more focused on the quarreling sounds from the main office. His insides tightened uncomfortably the closer he got. The muted voices, they sounded far too much like his now dead lover having an argument with his brother. Insanity was not uncommon among the Uchihas. Maybe the loss was bad enough for him to hear things? He needed the argument silenced, he couldn’t work like this. 

Madara threw open the door to the Hokage’s office, prepared to treat whoever was the cause of the disturbance to his full ire. Let out some frustration. Kick them out if he had to. Possibly have words with Hashirama about heatedly arguing with anyone this soon after his brother’s death. No one dared argue with Hashirama like that. No one. It had only ever been Tobirama who had had loud rows with the Hokage at levels that were heard all throughout the tower.

Then words registered. And then the sight before him made no sense. Tobirama.

 

“What the hell do you mean, _you burned the body?!”_

“We thought it was YOU!”

“HOW does that make it better!?”

Madara couldn’t comprehend, couldn't think, couldn't breathe. For a moment he felt relief, deep anguished relief, before his mind rebelled and told him it could not be true. The scene was more familiar than most, brothers screaming at eachother. Tobirama gesturing in annoyance. Wild and scruffy, more alive in argument than anyone ever believed him capable of. More alive than a dead man should be, in fact.

“Of course you couldn’t save him, I poisoned him with a new compound. I had to think fast, and I wanted that body to study the effects!”

He only half-heard the brothers. Words flew over him and only a few bits here and there caught in his mind. He still couldn’t process them, though.

“Yes, brother. Of course you had to hold a funeral. But-” Tobirama straightened up, a pouty frown that really shouldn’t have fit together with a scraped up face and such haughty stance. Madara loves it. Always found it adorable. “-if you had waited another day he’d have reverted! I don’t get how you can procrastinate any amount of paperwork for months, but burn my corpse? Oh, let’s be efficient for once. I was in captivity for a month and managed to get out with the goal of getting to that body and finally examine the jutsu he used for copying me!”

Madara made a broken sound. The brash, over the top, accusing words were wonderful to hear. A few weeks ago he would have been mostly pained for the sake of the receiver. Now it made him ache for his lost lover. As he made another sound, Hashirama’s head turned jerkily toward him, stumbling in his answer to Tobirama. Madara and Hashirama stared at each other for a moment, relief, incredulity, hope in both their faces. They smiled as Tobirama turned to frown at whatever took his brother’s attention away from the importance of science. 

“Hey, are you even listening anymore?” Tobirama was already back in the argument with his brother, only sparing Madara a brie nod. The minute relaxation in his shoulders, though, that was what finally made Madara move. His lover’s attention always had a tendency to tunnel, hard to change track when he was in a mood. Madara had long since learned to look for the small things, read a lot from small cues. Tension leaving Tobirama as he registered Madara’s presence? Precious.

He let out a small, odd laugh as he careened into Tobi’s body, the man protesting and trying to wriggle out if the grip. He held on, despite the fact they were in the Hokage’s office, with the door still open so that anyone could see. Didn’t care about Tobi’s aversion to public affection. As he took hold of Tobirama’s face he could hear Hashirama’s half-sob, half-laugh at the sight of the two of them.

 

A nightmarish time of mourning and suffering ended and he is suddenly here. Now. He can feel the numbness fade away as the world snap back into place.

“Tobi. I missed you.”

It’s gratifying, how Tobirama actually falters, mouth open in the middle of a word. Looking down at Madara with that hesitance he has when it’s all about feelings. 

“I’m glad to be back,” He mumbles, lowering his eyes and finally give in to the embrace.

**Author's Note:**

> Unrepentant author is unrepentant 8D (if I did completely avoid the subject of just how everything happened? Oh yes. Yes I did. Did I mention unrepentant author?)
> 
> Neutrons and Amihan? Such valuable betas.


End file.
